C.A. Milson's Blog, page 18
January 27, 2025
Not For the Faint of Heart
What would you do to free the love of your life from
prison?
Not For the Faint of Heart
Madcap Adventures Book 1
by Rene Vecka
Genre: Epic Fantasy Mystery Romance Adventure
What would you do to free the love of your life from prison?
Magic and mayhem meet mystery and humor in a four-way rumble. Romance gets a
few licks in as well. Set in a post-Ragnarok world with dual protagonists. If
you loved the Dresden Files, you’ll love Madcap Adventures.
As Rory proposes to Ingefær, the Shrine they’re visiting is set ablaze. Ingefær
is jailed and threatened with hanging. Rory investigates, but is hounded at
every step by soldiers. While Ingefær searches for ways to defeat the jail’s
magic wards, the Shrine’s healer vanishes in a puff of smoke.
Will the couple get the chance to solve the Shrine fire mystery before the law
postpones their nuptials forever?
Kirkus Reviews: …In Vecka’s fantasy novel, lovers are torn apart
by a false accusation and must prove one’s innocence before a rigged
trial…Vecka creates compelling difficulties and character challenges that
help drive the fast-paced plot and add to the already exciting mystery
narrative…A fun and entertaining fantasy that will keep readers guessing.
I’ve been a reader of fantasy and science fiction since I
was ten. Lord of the Rings is still my favorite. I now read Butcher (Dresden)
and Salvatore (Drizzt), as well at Sanderson and others. The Mid Dreki Realm
got its start with a comment with my then fifteen year old son. That kernel
grew into a book, which split into two, and is now a five book series. I
retired at 57 and began the process of becoming a writer. I’ve attended a half
dozen conferences, read numerous books on the art of writing, joined critique
groups, and immersed myself in the craft. I’m a member of Apex, a group founded
by David Farland (Runelord).
I live in the foothills between Colorado Springs and Denver
with my wife. Deer, turkeys, bear, coyotes, and my three children and 2
grandchildren occasionally drop by.
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January 26, 2025
The Staff of Beckoning
When the world is not what it seems, what will Adir do when
his identity collides with the destiny existence has in store for him?
The Staff of Beckoning
A Symphony of Spheres Book 1
by Praneet Menon
Genre: Epic Fantasy
“Menon’s storytelling is sharp and deliberate,
blending high-stakes action with introspective moments … Addictively
readable!” —BookView Review
The more we know, the less we understand …
Adir Nathar craved more than what he was born into. And existence obliged.
A mysterious death … an act of revenge! Adir flees Marafel, abandoning friends
and family for safety and a fresh start. But, unbeknownst to him, he is pursued
by the Khasmia Shadow, a secret society charged with a sole divine
purpose—eliminate the destructive venna with the sacred Staff of Beckoning. The
world of Leakarha itself is undergoing a seismic shift. Rakhor, terrible
demonspawn, are emerging farther south from the Precipice than ever before.
Caught in the middle of it all, Adir is driven deeper into his own shadows,
forced to face truths he never knew existed.
But this isn’t just Adir’s story.
From Naven to Ostarium to Cayan, this story unfolds through the eyes of a
troubled father, a ruler fighting to secure her legacy, an heiress obsessed
with knowledge, a woman torn by love, an archer chasing glory, a man harboring
a hidden past, and a noblewoman caught between two worlds—each holding a piece
of a greater truth waiting to be uncovered.
The Staff of Beckoning, the first book in
the series A Symphony of Spheres, is an epic fantasy tale of
identity, destiny, and purpose. Blending elements from science fiction,
mythology, and dark fantasy, this gripping narrative is perfect for readers who
enjoy complex characters, intricate world-building, and expansive sagas. If
you’ve enjoyed series like The Wheel of Time, The
Kingkiller Chronicle, and The Prince of Nothing, then this
book is for you.
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Born and raised in India, Praneet’s life began immersed in a
medley of cultural, linguistic, and spiritual traditions that sparked his
passion for storytelling. Then, he moved to the United States and has now spent
more than half his life there. The two cultural backgrounds have led him to
embrace a fusion of Eastern and Western philosophies that deeply influence his
writing.
Praneet also spent the better part of two decades working as
an engineer and flight instructor, which instilled in him a precision that he
brings to his existence-building, pursuing that perfect blend of reality and
fantasy. His exploration of philosophy and psychology at an early age allows
him to imbue his stories with age-old themes of identity, purpose, and destiny.
These themes play a central role in his debut novel, The Staff of Beckoning,
Book 1 of the series A Symphony of Spheres.
Praneet lives in Vermont, embracing a homesteading
lifestyle, community involvement, and writing while pursuing a master’s in
counseling.
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January 23, 2025
Cardinals
A completely new twist on Stoker’s tale.
Cardinals
by Ian Conner
Genre: Dark Paranormal Fantasy
A completely new twist on Stoker’s tale.
Nine Hundred years before Christ, God has cast his wife,
Asherah, out of heaven and condemned her to roam the earth as the first
vampire. Over the centuries, she created other vampires. There are also those
that she left for dead but survived her attack without being completely turned
into vampires. These survivors are called Cardinals. Scottish Countess Kellena
Donnachaidh and Lady Suzette Allard, our protagonists, are among these
cardinals. They are searching out Asherah for a final conflict.
Asherah has discovered a way back to heaven so she can exact
her vengeance. Using the Amulet of Cassiel she can call the Flaming chariot of
Israel to return to heaven Now, 3000 years later, there are groups working to
destroy Asherah and the vampires. The Vatican and other groups, fearing their
own destruction if she ascends, simply want to stop Asherah using the Amulet of
Cassiel to re-enter heaven. The race to recover the Amulet is full of intrigue,
betrayal.
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Ian Conner is retired and spent most of his adult life as a
Marine and Army Infantry Sergeant. A hundred percent disabled veteran after
multiple head and other injuries, he is part of a growing number of vets
classified as “neuro-diverse”, an MST survivor and have several issues such
regarding comprehension, concentration, and vision issues that he has OVERCOME
to write several novels. After witnessing a lifetime of destruction, the
thought of creating something tangible and lasting holds great appeal.
He finds writing a cathartic way to redefine himself both in
his eyes and in the eyes of others. Writing for fun, Ian has completed seven
novels with an eighth near done with two more ideas in the scribble/chapter
phase. He has written across four genres Fantasy, Thriller, Science Fiction and
Horror.
He uses ProWritingAid, Beta Readers and professional editors
keep the product readable, he has recently began querying in search of a
professional agent and publisher.
Now living near San Diego California with his wife Bonnie, a
cellist, and their two dogs, Cookie and Isabella. Conner spends his days
fostering kittens, gardening, crafting beautiful stained glass and creating
worlds on the page.
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The Starlight Contingency
The Starlight Contingency is Titan AE meets Nikita!
The Starlight Contingency
Book 1
by Kyoko M.
Genre: SciFi Romantic Adventure, Space Opera
Orphaned siblings Scarlett and Duke Nam have had it rough.
Cast aside by society, they’ve managed to stay afloat as thieves on the streets
of Alexandria, Virginia. Things plunge straight to hell when a heist goes wrong
and they’re on the run from the cops, but after they stumble into a nearby home
to escape, something seemingly impossible happens – the house transforms into a
spacecraft and leaves the Earth’s orbit.
International Spaceship. The Earth has been destroyed by the Bergleute des
Todes, AKA The Miners of Death. Scarlett and Duke are given the chance to
become soldiers to fight the aliens who destroyed the world.The only thing left for them is the hardest thing of all: Survival.The Starlight Contingency is the new space opera from USA Today best selling
author Kyoko M. (She Who Fights Monsters, Of Cinder and Bone).
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Kyoko M is a USA Today bestselling author and a fangirl. She
is the author of The Black Parade urban fantasy series, the Of Cinder and Bone
science-fiction series, and the Starlight Contingency space opera series with
Falstaff Books. The Black Parade has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly and New
York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews. Of Cinder and Bone placed in the
Top 30 Books in Hugh Howey’s 2021 Self Published Science Fiction Contest. Kyoko
M has appeared as a guest and panelist at such conventions as Geek Girl Con,
DragonCon, Blacktasticon, Momocon, JordanCon, ConCarolinas, and MultiverseCon.
She is also a contributor to Marvel Comics’ Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda
(2021) anthology as well as the Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson (2025)
anthology. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Lit degree from the University
of Georgia, which gave her every valid excuse to devour book after book with a
concentration in Greek mythology and Christian mythology. She is currently
working on a science fiction trilogy with Falstaff Books and her debut novel,
The Starlight Contingency, released October 29th, 2024.
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January 22, 2025
The Marriage Agreement
The best laid plans sometimes crumble,but fate has the perfect detour.
The Marriage Agreement
The Agreement Series Book 2
by A. Akinosho
Genre: Age Gap, Second Chance Contemporary Romance
The best laid plans sometimes crumble,
but fate has the perfect detour.
Ayodele
In desperate need of a solution, I’m about to lose
everything—my education, my future—if I’m deported before finishing school.
Osei, bless his heart, is willing to marry me, but his wandering eye would only
bring more trouble than we need.
Enter Luke, my best friend’s brother, with a shocking
proposal: a marriage agreement. A simple arrangement that could save us both.
He needs to escape the forced marriage his father’s pushing
on him, and I need to stay in the country to finish school.
It’s a deal that works for both of us.
But neither of us expected that living together, pretending
to be husband and wife, would blur the lines between what’s real and what’s
just part of our agreement.
I didn’t plan on falling in love with Luke, but sometimes
the heart doesn’t care about the plan.
Luke
There was always a girl—a girl I couldn’t get out of my
head. When I finally find her, she’s with the one person I could never
betray—my brother.
I’ve kept my distance, believing that Ayodele was
off-limits, only to learn she’s only my brother’s best friend. But crossing
that line still felt forbidden. So, I’ve watched her quietly, wanting what I
thought I could never have.
Now, she desperately needs help, and I see a way to help
her—and myself. A fake marriage would solve both our problems. She stays to
finish school, and I escape the loveless match my father is forcing me into.
It’s the perfect solution.
Or so I thought. What was supposed to be just an agreement
is becoming something else entirely. The connection I’ve tried to deny is
impossible to ignore, and keeping my distance is no longer an option.
Maybe this was never supposed to be a plan, because, neither
of us is sticking to the plan.
No problem, right?
The Handshake Agreement
The Agreement Series Book 1
He promised her the world,
Then, abandoned her at the altar.
Anne
I’m a realist, cynical about falling in love. Until I met Declan – the rich and
powerful player. With his quiet determination, he dismantled my cynicism and
made me believe.
Before I know it, I’m flashing a radiant smile, dressed, and eagerly awaiting
him at the altar.
Only, I got the text – “I’m not coming” – shattering my world.
Regret is a waste of time; I stand by my original convictions.
Years later, he’s back demanding a second chance, how dare he?
Declan
I shook on the agreement without hesitation because I had zero plans to marry
for love. Ever.
Years later, Anne crashed into my life. I find myself craving what I thought I
didn’t need or want.
Unexpectedly, the agreement I made resurfaced, presenting me with a dilemma:
Marry as agreed or
Lose Anne forever.
Deal accepted, regardless of hurting Anne.
When I find Anne again, she’s engaged, far as I’m concerned, she’s still mine.
I’ll cheat, steal, and fight before I let Anne marry another.
All is fair in love and war. And this is war…hope he’s ready to fight?
The Handshake agreement is a contemporary an age gap, second chance romance
with a Possessive MMC
A. Akinosho lives in her own little nest in Illinois. An
avid reader and enjoy reading thrillers, suspense and romance novels (partial
to romance genre). When, She’s not reading or keeping up with life. She enjoys
writing and creating twist to stories. She loves writing about diverse
characters, friendship and overcoming challenges through, what is perceived as
a weakness.
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Damned Yankees
Damned Yankees is a gripping tale set during
America’s Revolutionary War, where loyalty is tested, and survival is anything
but certain.
Damned Yankees
by Ray Deptula
Genre: Historical Fiction
Those who fight their nation’s wars are typically
those least able to avoid it.
The world was, is now, and always will be a complicated and
volatile place filled with those whose self-interests supersede more noble
aspirations.
If history has taught us anything, it is that times may
change, but human nature does not.
The competing interests and political tensions of the
formation of our country were no more or less dysfunctional than they are
today, with the best and worst of individual behavior continually on display.
Jack Halliday wants nothing more than to belong
somewhere that provides him with security and values his worth.
In an uncaring world that devours the weak, he is forced to
rely on his strongest attribute, his ability and willingness to fight, which
ironically belies his benevolent nature.
Much like the fledgling union of the thirteen original
colonies, Jack’s rebirth into autonomy constantly teeters on demise in a world
where his decisions are all he can control.
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Ray Deptula is a native of Wells, Maine, and a graduate of
Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine.
He spent 24 years in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot and
a political-military officer.
He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College in Newport,
Rhode Island with a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic
Studies.
Damned Yankees is the first book Ray has published, having
conceived of it while taking a Revolutionary War elective at the Naval War
College.
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The Unforgetting
Check out the Cover Reveal!Some buried secrets are better left unearthed.
The Unforgetting
by Bonnie Traymore
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
lying at the bottom of a ravine, her neck snapped in a fatal fall. And I’m not
proud of what came next.Before we called the police, we covered ourselves. Cleaned up from the blow-out
at Ella’s cabin in the Adirondacks the night before. Got our stories straight.Ella begged me not to tell the police what I saw. She insisted that it was an
accident—and we all went along. What did I know? I was plastered that night,
and large chunks of that evening are missing for me.But now, in my postpartum state, memories are starting to return, and I can’t
help but feel that they might be connected to the soul crushing depression I’ve
been experiencing. Is it guilt? Or do I know more than I think I do?So when I receive Ella’s invitation for a ten-year reunion at her family camp—a
gathering of remembrance and healing, she’s calling it—I know I have to go.Are the memories I’m struggling to recover the key to my moving on? To being
able to take care of my infant son and stay married to the perfect man?Or are they a death sentence for me, too?“The Unforgetting is a great read filled with tension on every
page, stunning twist after twist, and a mind-blowing ending that you’ll never
see coming. Highly recommended!” – R.G. Belsky, author of the Clare
Carlson series.“The Unforgetting is a riveting, twisty, slow-burn atmospheric
thriller that will delight and disturb, in the best possible ways. Highly
recommended.” Douglas Corleone, international bestselling author of Falls
to Pieces
**Releases 2/11 – PreOrder Now!**
Bonnie Traymore is the award-winning, Amazon best selling
author of page-turner mystery/thrillers that hit close to home. Her books
feature strong but relatable female protagonists. The plots explore difficult
topics such as jealousy, infidelity, murder, and the impact of psychological
disorders, but she also includes bits of romance and humor to lighten the mood
from time to time. She’s an active status member of International Thriller
Writers and Mystery Writers of America.
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January 21, 2025
Crossing the Line
Running away,
young & frightened.
There’s no going
back.
Crossing the Line
by Chris Cloake
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Rebecca is
running away from violation and loss. Young, frightened and homeless, but articulate,
imaginative and determined, she dreams of a new life, a new self. There’s no
going back.
Follow her path into desperate isolation during a freezing winter as she
struggles to survive. When stealing offers a way out, fate plunges her into the
criminal realm of drugs where the stakes and the hits are high, and deadly, and
her existence relies on trust. But who is using who? Is she falling into the
same traps again?
Crossing The Line by Chris Cloake leads you through the moral minefield of
addiction and throws open the debate over control and consent, with outcomes
that will stir deep emotions. If you’re a fan of challenging story lines then
this you must read.
Get Crossing The Line now to discover the inescapable truths Rebecca faces as a
vulnerable girl in a world driven by greed. Marvel at how her courage and an
unexpected ally bring about an earth shattering conclusion.
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Chris Cloake was
born in 1964 and began telling stories a couple of years later. He grew up in
Kent, England. He is motivated to write by a deep interest in life,
particularly the cruel, deeply flawed nature of people contrasted with their
incredible creativity and inspiration. The power of the natural world is a
common theme in his work as a writer and professional photographer. He lives
happily with his wife, two children and a large collection of music, books and
board games.
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Shocktober: The Biggest Upsets in World Series History
Shocktober: The Biggest Upsets in World Series History
Jonathan Weeks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Sports History
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Mays’s spectacular catch in 1954, Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off homer in 1960, and Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit blast in 1988 are just a few of the memorable moments that have dominated highlight reels. The outcome of the Series has not always been terribly surprising—especially during the late 1940s and early 1950s when the Yankees captured five consecutive championships, breaking their previous record of four straight titles from 1936 to 1939. But despite its predictability at times, the Fall Classic has taken many unexpected turns. The 1906 Cubs lost to the weak-hitting White Sox after establishing a new regular season record for
wins. The 1955 Dodgers avenged seven prior October failures with an improbable victory over the seemingly invincible Yankees. And in 1969, the Mets finally shed their image as “loveable losers,” dethroning the powerful Orioles. In more than a century of World Series plays, a number of similar scenarios have emerged; twenty-two of those stories are told in Shocktober.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
To understand why members of the White Sox conspired with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series, one must take into account the financial climate of baseball in the early-20th century. Players weren’t paid exceptionally well (at least in comparison to today). Before the advent of free agency, owners held most of the advantages when it came to negotiating contracts. Players were more or less stuck with the clubs they had signed with until team executives decided it was time to get rid of them. Typical deadball stars were minimally educated and rough around the edges. In their free time, many gravitated to bars and pool halls, where men of questionable integrity could be found. Some players developed relationships with members of the underworld—especially bookmakers who were willing to tamper with the outcome of games in order to turn a profit.
Ty Cobb, one of the biggest names of the era, was paid $20,000 in 1919—equivalent to about $348,000 today. No one else was making that much at the time—not even Babe Ruth. Pitcher Eddie Cicotte, at a little over $9,000, was the highest paid member of the Chicago conspirators. The others were earning significantly less.
A common misconception among contemporary fans is the idea that Chicago team owner Charles Comiskey was a nefarious miser who drove his men to commit the crime of the century. Multiple myths have persisted regarding Comiskey’s penny-pinching ways—the most salacious being the story about how he delivered a case of flat champagne to his players as a World Series bonus in 1917. Other fallacies have been handed down over the years.
In reality, Comiskey was prone to acts of generosity. He allowed a number of Chicago organizations to use his ballpark for free and gave out complimentary grandstand tickets to school children. During World War I, he donated a significant portion of his annual income to the Red Cross. While it’s true that he could also be frugal, charging players for laundry fees, he actually paid his men pretty well. The White Sox Opening Day payroll in 1919 was among the highest in baseball.
While the specific motivations of each conspirator have been endlessly debated, it’s safe to assume that the primary incentive was financial gain. By his own account, it was first baseman Chick Gandil who approached gamblers with the idea of a fix. At the time, the club was divided into two social cliques with tension existing between the two. The educated players fell under the influence of Ivy League graduate Eddie Collins. The rest of the joiners cast their lot with Gandil—a former boxer with an attitude toward authority. Shortstop Swede Risberg played a major role in the fix as well, helping Gandil lure other players (ones who could be trusted to keep their mouths shut) into the fold. Boston-based bookmaker Joseph “Sport” Sullivan convinced New York underworld kingpin Arnold Rothstein to bankroll the plot. Others involved included “Sleepy Bill” Burns (a former pitcher) and Abe Attell (a former featherweight boxing champion). Both were associates of Rothstein’s.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Jonathan Weeks has written several sports biographies and two novels, one of which was a posthumous collaboration with his late father. He grew up in the Capital District region of New York State and currently works in the mental health field.
BLOG: http://www.jonathanweeks.blogspot.com
GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5862273.Jonathan_Weeks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Jonathan Weeks will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN gift card – a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q & A With Jonathan Weeks
Tell us about you as a person.
I grew up in the Capital District Region of New York State during a time when most young boys were encouraged to get involved with sports. I played organized baseball and basketball, but it became abundantly clear early on that I would never make a career out of either activity. Although I was never able to hit a curveball or reliably catch a high pop-up, I always found myself drawn to the sport of baseball. A career as a sports writer seemed as far out of reach as my major league aspirations, so I studied psychology in college and made my living in the mental health field. I experimented with various forms of writing on the side—novels, short stories, screenplays. After decades of failure, I finally found my niche as a baseball writer. I have been able to publish two novels in addition to multiple non-fiction sports books.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Oh man—this is a tough question. There are so many people I admire in so many different ways. If I could hang with one writer for a day, I would tag along with Stephen King because I would love to find out what his process is. If I could spend time with an athlete, it would be Derek Jeter—simply because he’s my favorite Yankee player of all-time and seems like a fundamentally decent guy.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
I’ve been doing a lot of written interviews for my latest release and it all seems to come down to the same point in time. When I was a kid, my Mom always encouraged us to read. She would take me and my three sisters to the public library. There were two books I used to borrow regularly. One was a children’s picture book called The Man Who Lost His Head. Originally published in 1942, it tells the story of a man who wakes up without his head and tries to find a suitable replacement, using a pumpkin, a parsnip, and a block of wood until he ends up reunited with the original appendage. The other one was a book about the World Series. The name of this particular World Series book escapes me, but it was filled with old black and white photos from Fall Classics of yesteryear. I found it so fascinating that I vowed to write my own book on the topic someday. Now—more than 50 years later, I can say that I actually have.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
I would say hiring a publicist is the way to go.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
—Attend a World Series game at Yankee Stadium.
—Live long enough to have grandkids and watch them grow up.
—Write another novel.
—Learn how to play Van Halen’s “Eruption” note for note.
—Tour the ancient ruins in Rome, Egypt, and South America.
Any final thoughts?
We should all be kind to each other. Kindness is a dying art nowadays it seems.
Bitroux: High Country
Bitroux: High Country
Jordan Harcourt-Hughes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Science Fiction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
If Merouac ever thought his life’s work would culminate in leading the metal workshops of the Transcontinental Railroad Project, he was sorely mistaken.
Now, his true challenge lies in navigating the other-worldly abilities he’s only beginning to understand—abilities that allow him to tune metal to interdimensional frequencies.
While trying to be a guardian to his niece, Evra, he’s realising she may have more to teach him than he ever expected. At the same time, his decision to help an interdimensional race find refuge underground puts him at the centre of an even deeper mystery.
As reality reshapes itself around him, Merouac faces a growing realisation: the world of Ahm is on the brink of a profound transformation, and everything he thought he knew may soon be shattered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
There was something about that zone of quiet concentration. It was always somewhere in the middle of those quiet moments where the blue light of the Top Hats had started to appear at the edge of his gaze. It had always been hard to see the things directly in his sight; they shifted and moved and always seemed hazy and insubstantial. He wondered if, in those moments, he had drifted into the Maolfi state without realising it.
He kept working. The surges of static came and went, heating his body, and then leaving, giving him a sense that his whole body was buzzing, vibrating. He kept moving, concentrating only on the wood. And things started to shift, but not in the way he had anticipated.
Soon, two piles had been moved and Merouac was starting to feel a welcome feeling of tiredness. He contemplated leaving the last pile of wood for the morning but kept moving instead. Then, something sounded.
He looked up. Nothing. Had anything made a noise at all? He felt sure he had heard something. All was still. What was it that he thought he had heard? Like someone or something was crashing through the trees, perhaps. He shook his head. Nothing unusual stirred, the flickering lights continued and below he could see hummers and their fluorescent markings shimmering in the trees.
Then he realised. He hadn’t heard it. He’d felt it.
He closed his eyes, tried to make his way to the place the Faurin called the Maolfi state. Kii had wanted him to find a place of deep listening. And perhaps what he was just starting to understand was, that you could listen with all your body, and feel sound in other ways than just noise.
After a time, he opened his eyes again and saw spheres hovering in the air, full of something he couldn’t quite comprehend.
Reaching out to touch them, they felt full and weighty and yet his hand could partially pass through them. They were not solid, and yet they were full. Like bubbles being blown by some invisible child, they formed and hung in the atmosphere.
They grew larger, then fuzzier, then collapsed from their own weight, dripping a strange sentience that dispersed back into the atmosphere. Often, they formed again straight away, the same spheres, the same size and colour, the same weight, only to burst and disperse once again.
Some of the smaller ones were only as large as his hand. Others, twice the size. And then hovering at greater height, larger spheres his whole body could have walked through. They shifted and mutated, formed and faded, pulsed and glowed. They were magical.
‘This is different,’ he said out loud, and grinned.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Jordan Harcourt-Hughes is an abstract painter, writer and communications professional. She’s passionate about all aspects of creativity, life-long learning and personal wellbeing. Over the last fifteen years she’s led, coached and developed creative professionals across the Asia-Pacific region.
Jordan’s books, studio workshops, courses, coaching and resources are an invitation to explore the rich landscape of creative experiences open to all.
High Country is Jordan’s second novel set in the world of Bitroux.
Website: https://jordanharcourthughes.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordaninthestudio/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jordaninthestudio/
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INTERVIEW With …
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since I was a kid. I remember winning a class competition for the best story back in my first year or two at school. I was called Strawberry Land. It was the first experience I remember where I was going about the business of creating another world!
What did you do on your last birthday?
Like a lot of creative folk, I’m an introvert – so I really enjoy doing small things, with small amounts of people. For my last birthday, I celebrated with a lovely lunch.
This year, for my 49th birthday, we do have something special planned – we are travelling on the Ghan from Adelaide to the Northern Territory. The Ghan is one of Australia’s most well-known outback adventure journeys – and if you believe their marketing material, it’s also regarded as one of the world’s best tail journeys. We’re hoping that’s true! We’ll be traveling right through the heart of the country.
I actually started writing Bitroux: High Country on another world-renowned train trip –the Rocky Mountaineer, which took us through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. For me, writing on the train is such a nod to the old school way of doing things. I always love scribbling my first drafts with pen and paper. So, I’m looking forward to those moments of dreaming, looking out of the train windows and thinking up ideas for future books!
The Australian desert landscapes also have spectacular colours. There is something really interesting about some of those reds that you find here – rust, dust, earth, heat, vibrancy – it’s all pretty magical.
What part of the writing process do you dread?
I don’t dread any part of the process, as I try and get better with each new piece of writing that I create. There are so many different skills to learn and hone. So, I like that challenge. But for me, the hardest part comes as you get towards the end.
There is a lot of information you have to hold in your head as you bring the book home. You’re asking yourself so many questions – is it interesting? Does it make sense, will it be satisfying from a reader perspective? Have I answered this question? Have I resolved that tension?
And when you’re a busy creative person, it’s just one project amidst others that you’re also trying to hold together – so my brain does get pretty overloaded at times!
But writing a book is such a satisfying project that it’s worth it in the end – you just have to know that the challenging stages will pass and you just have to muscle your way through it.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
I do suffer from writer’s block. That’s why I paint! It’s my magic trick. I’m an intuitive artist who’s spent many years just splashing around happily with paint, making a mess, having fun and occasionally making an artwork. It seems to always unlock me at a deep level and sooner or later, what wasn’t coming through in the writing ends up coming through in the art. It took me a while to realise this, of course.
But, that’s how the illustrated printed editions of the Bitroux books came about. The artworks were all created as a by-product of writers block, but they also talk to the essence of the story in a way that the words don’t. So, I think it’s a win-win situation!
Tell us about your latest release.
Bitroux: High Country focuses on the story of Merouac, a metalsmith who has recently discovered his ability to tune metal to other-world frequencies. The story is about his journey to accept his gifts and use them in a way that makes sense in his world. So, I think for me this is the story that many of us are exploring in our own lives as well.
How do we accept the gifts that we have come into the world with, even when they are strange, quite possibly inconvenient and also make us look at the world around us in a whole new way?
Merouac has a railroad to build and a niece to take care of, but he is on a journey where the more he discovers, the less he knows – and again, I think this can be our experience as humans.
As we go through our own personal experiences of inner development, or ascension – whatever you call it, we start to realise that our world isn’t what we thought it was. We have to spend time unlearning old ideas and old habits, and we have to take responsibility for owning our life path, rather than just being passively swept along with the crowds.
That takes work, and often we’d probably rather not have the knowledge that comes to us, because that knowledge comes with responsibility. But it also means that the universe is talking to us – helping us grow and have experiences that enrich us and allow us to evolve. So, in the story we see Merouac go through these experiences – and I think at some point when I was writing I realized that he wanted to be on the journey and that he could take responsibility for owning it. So, read the book and see what this means for him!
